Bunion protector



T. A. EICHHORN. BUNION PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FlLED MAYIG. 1921.

Patented Nov. 2l

Patented Nov. 2l, 1922.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE A. EICHHORN, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR T. TOBOLLA OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 7

Application filed May 16, 1921.

To all wim/11, if; ynic/y concern.'

Be it known that I, Trinononn A. Eten# Hoen, a citizen of the Republic of Germany, residing at Oak Park. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful In'ilirovements in Bunion Protectors, of which the following' is a specification.

This invent-ion relates in general to devices or appliances adapt-ed to protectand reduce the discomfort of foot deformities, `and has more particu-lar reference to an appliance. adapted to serve a protector for hunions or enlarged joints.

Various devices of rubber have heretofore heen employed for this purpose, which were adapted to he placed around or close to the hunion or joint, and directly against the foot inside the stocking. An applianceof this character, however, readily becomes displaced and frequently becomes improperly positioned in the act of drawing` onthe sock or stocking'. Furthermore` these appliances are imperforate, and therefore result in lienting and discomfort ofthe foot. and as they are made in a few sizes and thicknesses only,

they do not properly7 lit many hunions which sitioi'il with respect to the protuher'ance on the foot. f y

Another object is to provide a protector which capable of adjustment' tol-provide greater or less thickness on one sidefor 'the other of the. hunion so that the use r may adapt andv adjust the device to the particular dimensions which give the greatestcoml'ort. `i

A further feature of myinvention resides in the 'tact that the i'notector is ventilated so that it does not cause heating` or irritation of the foot, and flnthermore, heine outside the stocking and not in direct contact with the foot, it is very sanitary, and the constructiim is such that the ruhher pads may he removed and the easing` or pockets in Serial -No. 469,783.'

the stocking. thus adding to the sanitary character of the protector. u

yOther objects and many ot' the inherent advantages of my invention will he readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood, hy reference to the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings:

Referring'. to the drawings:

Figi. l is a side view of a foot showinf the application of my improved protector thereto; l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of oneot my ln'otectors Figs. 3 and il are sectional views on the lines 3 3 and ste-Jr resi'iectively of Fig. Q ,i

F 5 is a detail of oneI of my improved pads:

Fig. G is a detail of the inner pad;

Fig. 'T is a transverse sectional view'showing three pads in assembled relation;

.Fiez S isa plan view partially in section, of a modified form of my invention; and

Fig'. l) is a sectional view through the protector shown in Fig'. 8. l

In the construction of my improved protector, I employl first. a ply lllof suitable textilexfalnic suchas linen or cotton, for instance, which is shaped inoutline to suhstantially the form illustrated in Fig. 2, and is provided with a central aperture l2 adapted' to surround a hunion or enlarged joint. Upon oneface of this fabric ply, I impose two vsmaller flaps orfabric pieces 13 and lll respectively, each of which has its edge spacei'l inwardly from theperimeter ot the ply ll. leaving' a projecting'margin 14( of this last-mentioned ply, as will he' apparent l'romlfigs, 9 and il. .lheseuliaps 13 and 1.4 are securely stitched around their longitudinal and curved margins 'by arow or rows 'of stitching-'l5 to forml pockets closed at the sides and ends ofthe ply ll., hut open at the center adjacent the aperture l2. lt will he observed from Fig'. Q that the open ends of these pockets are spaced apart so that access to the pockets may he, had, and that the opposed edges of the plies 15% and 14 are recessed at lf3 in suliistantialconformity to the contour of the underlying` aperture 1Q.

The ply 1l with the plies 12E and le securef'l thereto as described, provide a carrier or container for the reception o'l pads. which serve to protect the swollen and projecting' portion of the foot from being pressed against or rubbed by the shoe. In each of these pocket-s, I therefore insert a tapered andfproperly shaped pad 17 of rubber or other yielding material, which is adapted to take the pressure of the shoe and prevent it from rubbing against or irritating the projecting and tender deformed portion of the foot which lies within the aperture 12, and between the opposed ends of the pads 17 which are recessed to conform to the recesses 16 and the aperture 12. The rubber or other flexible and yielding pads 17 may be of various thicknesses, and these pads may be interchangeable so that one or both may be removed andl another of greater or less thickness be substituted therefor to suit the requirements of any particular deformity.

Preferably, however, my invention contemplates the employmentof a composite pad, consistingof a plurality of interlocking plies, any desired number of which may be assembled together to produce a pad of the desired thickness. Such a composite pad is illustrated in Fig. 7 wherein it will be observed that the outer ply or layer 18 is shaped to 't the pocket in the containerA and is provided with a plurality of sockets or openings 19 adapted to receive lugs or studs 21 projecting from the outer face of a second underlying pad layer This layer is illustrated in F 5, from which it will be observed that three of the studs 21 project from the outer face of the pad layer and are adapted to engage in the openings or sockets 19 of the outer layer 18. The two layers. when assembled, provide a pad of in creased thickness, and should it be desirable to further increase the thickness of the pad, a third or inner layer 23 is attached to the under face of layer 22 by means of studs 2st projecting outwardly from layer Q3 and en gaged in sockets 25 formed in the layer 22. This scheme of interlocking layers to build up a pad of the requisite thickness may be carried even further and four or even more pad layers may be thus assembled to provide a composite pad of requisite thickness for any foot.

In order to provide for ventilation, the pads, whether solid or of builtup construction., are equipped with ventilating perforations 2G which permit of air circulation through the pads. thus adding to the sanitary qualities of the device and preventing overheating of the foot and stoppage of the pores.

lVhen the protector has been assembled with the pads either of integral or composite construction disposed in the respective pockets, the protector may be placed on the foot, the stocking first having been drawn on into position, whereupon the protector is secured to the stockino' by 'a row of stitches 27 passing through tie margin 14 of the ply 11 and through the underlying stocking or sock. The protector is thus securely fastenedv to the stocking and is held thereby against accidental displacement, with the re sult that it is always maintained in the requisite relation with respect to the bunion and protects it against injury and rubbing by the shoe. Upon removal of the stocking, the protector remains attached and may be drawn on again and will always assume its proper position. hen the stocking is washed, the pads are simply withdrawn from the pockets and the textile carrier remains attached to the stocking and is washed therewith so that it is always kept in sanitary condition.

ln Figs. 8 and t), I have shown a modified form of my invention` wherein the underlying ply 28 which is attached to the stocking` has secured to its upper face a ply 29 ili'orming a circular pocket instead of two elongated separate pockets, as previously described. The pad 31 in this instanrc vis also of generally circular form and may be inserted through the openings 32 in the upper ply 29 by simply bending or doubling up thepad so that it can be introduced into the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The pad in this instance may be of either integral or built-up construction, and is provided with the ventilating openings 83 similarly to the pads previously described. This form of invention is more particularly adapted for small bunions such as develop on the outer side of the foot. although it may be used on the big toe joint if the bunion is not so large as to require the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. In this instance also, the margin of the ply 2S is sewed t0 the stocking so that it is held in position and is washed with the stocking, the pad being removed through the opening 32 and 1re-inserted when the stocking is again to be worn.

It will be apparent from the foregoing.,r that I have provided a protector which is adjustable, to provide pads of the required thickness which may be increased or diminished as desired; that the protector is attached to the outside of the stocking by which it is always held in proper position against displacement; that the protector is ventilated and sanitary; that it may be washed and kept in sanitary condition, and that the pads may be easily removed and replaced when necessary.

It is believed that my invention, its construction, mode of use and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing without further description, and while I have shown and described preferred embodiments, obviously the form of the invention can be varied within considcrable limits withoutl departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A bunion protector, comprisingl :i holderl formed. oil? textile 'febrie and provided with e pocket opening toward the Center thereof, end e tapered protective paid olf yielding muterinl removably disposed in said pocket.

2. A. bnnion protector, eoniprising n ply of textile fabric provided with an opening, :i plurality ol pockets attached to one .tace ot seid ply with their open ends disposed toivnrd said opening', and n protective pad ol yielding material removably disposed in each ot seid pockets.

8. A. bnnion protector, comprising :i holder formed to lit over :i bnnion and provided with pad-receiving pockets opening` toward the center ot seid holder and a protective pod removably disposed in euch pocket'.l saidv pads each comprisinga plural ity ot layers oit flexible material and means 'for detachzibly connecting said layers together.

A bnnion protector, comprising' :L holder provided with pnd-receiving` pocket-s and: pods removably disposed in seid pockets,

each of said pads comprising?r :i plurality of layers of yieldztble material provided with means for detachnbly interlocking seid layers together.

5. A bnnion protector comprising :i holder provided With u pocket and o yielding pad removably disposed therein, seid paid coniprising a plurality of layers of material provided With openings and studs Aadapted to engage therein whereby seid levers are detuCha-bly connected together.

6. A bunion protector7 Comprising a holder having a pad receiving pocket, and e. multi-ply pad disposed in said pocket, the plies thereof being provided vvith interen- Q'aging ineens whereby the plies are detachably interloeked.

7. A bunion protector, comprising a holder provided with a pad receiving pocket, and :i pad disposed therein provided with ventiloting' openings;` comprising a plurality ot' plies lnivinginterengaging provisions Whereby the plies are locked together.

THEODORE EICHHORN. 

